The vestibulocochlear nerve exits the pons as one nerve; however, the vestibular components come from nuclei in the pons and medulla while the cochlear components come from nuclei in the inferior cerebellar peduncle, thus the nerve enters the pons (derived from the Latin word for “bridge”) as two components but exits the pons as one combined nerve with both vestibular and cochlear components. After merging and traveling through the internal acoustic meatus, the two components split on exit, with the vestibular component/vestibular nerve heading to the otolith organs and semicircular canals (that look like a snail) and the cochlear components/cochlear nerve going to the cochlea (shell). The primary functions of these nerves include regulating balance (vestibular nerve) and hearing (cochlear nerve).